Mark Waller (politician)
{{short description|American politician}}
{{update|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name=Mark Waller
| image name=Mark Waller Official photo.JPG
|office = El Paso County Commissioner
from the 2nd district
| term_start = June 19, 2016{{cite web|url=https://www.csindy.com/IndyBlog/archives/2016/07/19/waller-is-new-district-2-county-commissioner |title=Waller is new District 2 county commissioner |publisher=Colorado Springs Independent |date=2016-06-19 |accessdate=2020-05-08}}
| term_end = January 12, 2021
| predecessor= Amy Lathen
| successor = Carrie Geitner
| state_house1=Colorado
| state1=Colorado
| district1=15th
| term_start1=January 7, 2009{{cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics/CLICS2009A/csljournals.nsf/(jouhse)/0475167CD03000CB8725752E0056A5B3/$FILE/Jn07.pdf |title=House Journal - January 7, 2009 |accessdate=2009-01-09 |work=Colorado General Assembly }}
|term_end1 = January 7, 2015
| preceded1=Douglas Bruce
| succeeded1 = Gordon Klingenschmitt
| birth_place= Macomb, Illinois
| death_date=
| death_place=
| residence= Colorado Springs, Colorado
| alma_mater=University of Denver
University of North Dakota
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
| spouse=
| children=Truman
Camille
| occupation=Attorney
| religion=
| party=Republican
|}}
Mark Waller (born 1969) is a former Colorado county commissioner as well as a former legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado and county level assistant district attorney. Elected to the Colorado House of Representatives as a Republican in 2008, Waller had represented House District 15, which encompasses portions of northeastern Colorado Springs, Colorado.{{cite web|url=http://comaps.org/district15h.html |title=State House District 15 |accessdate=2008-11-08 |work=COMaps |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304221010/http://www.comaps.org/district15h.html |archivedate=2008-03-04 }} Waller also served in the US Air Force from 1993 until 2000, joining the Air Force Reserves in 2001,{{cite web|url=http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/04/05/on-the-spot-rep-mark-waller/7816/ |title=On the Spot: Rep. Mark Waller
|publisher=The Denver Post |date=2010-04-05 |accessdate=2020-05-08}} and following his graduation from the University of Denver Law School, he worked as an attorney prosecuting insurgents during the Iraq War; he was deployed in 2006.{{cite web|url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/quick-hits/mark-waller-to-run-for-district-attorney-for-colorados-el-paso-teller-counties/article_b4a80d3a-8e1e-11e9-b13b-a7218945f035.html |title=Mark Waller to run for district attorney for Colorado's El Paso, Teller counties |publisher=Colorado Politics |date=2019-06-13 |accessdate=2020-05-08}}
Waller obtained his B.S. in political science from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1992, his M.S. in space studies from the University of North Dakota in 1998, and his J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law in 2003. His professional experience includes working as deputy district attorney for the 10th Judicial District of Pueblo Colorado, reservist for the legal office of 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, space systems operator for Schriever AFB, and a private attorney. Waller served as an officer in the United States Air Force.
Legislative career
=2008 election=
Mark Waller defeated incumbent Rep. Douglas Bruce in the contested Republican primary in August, taking 52 percent of votes cast.{{cite web|url=http://rs.ezvotetally.com/Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd?ReportSession=syj1hm55hso5ty55pcuhyprg&ControlID=a61fb386-685c-4a0c-a691-71334ad539d8&Culture=1033&UICulture=1033&ReportStack=1&OpType=ReportArea&Controller=ClientControllerdnn_ctr370_ViewRS2005_ReportViewer1&PageNumber=1&ZoomMode=Percent&ZoomPct=100&ReloadDocMap=true&EnableFindNext=False&LinkTarget=_top |title=Colorado Statewide Cumulative Report - 2008 Primary Election |accessdate=2008-04-13 |work=Colorado Secretary of State }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Waller faced Democrat Leslie Maksimowicz in the November 2008 general election. Waller's candidacy was endorsed by the Denver Post and the Colorado Springs Independent,
{{cite news |first=Wendy |last=Norris |author2=Bob Spencer |title=State candidate endorsement watch |url=http://coloradoindependent.com/11911/state-candidate-endorsement-watch |work=Colorado Independent |date=3 November 2008 |accessdate=2008-11-07 }} and he won election to the legislature with 66 percent of votes cast.{{cite web|url=http://coreports.ezvotetally.com/Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd?ReportSession=jexpso55dlbays450fyzrmb4&ControlID=3a1b317069f040849b2b689d78addfc9&Culture=1033&UICulture=1033&ReportStack=1&OpType=ReportArea&Controller=dnn_ctr376_ViewRS2005_ReportViewer1&PageNumber=1&ZoomMode=Percent&ZoomPct=100&ReloadDocMap=true&SearchStartPage=0&LinkTarget=_top |title=Colorado Statewide Cumulative Report - 2008 General Election |accessdate=2008-12-04 |work=Colorado Secretary of State }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
=2009 legislative session=
For the 2009 legislative session, Waller was named to seats on the House Education Committee and the House Judiciary Committee.
{{cite press release |title=House Republican Committee Assignments Announced |date=18 November 2008 |publisher=Colorado House Democrats |url=http://www.coloradohousegop.com/?q=node/92 |access-date=4 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141231125753/http://www.coloradohousegop.com/?q=node%2F92 |archive-date=31 December 2014 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
Waller sponsored legislation to require disclosure on clothes collection bins operated by for-profit companies, to include a new derivative of methamphetamine to Colorado's list of banned drugs, and to exclude dry-ice bombs from a felony list of explosives, and to allow homeschooled students to enroll in college classes.{{cite news |first=Dean |last=Toda |title=Freshman lawmaker does his best to grasp his homework |url=http://www.gazette.com/articles/budget_45708___article.html/members_process.html |work=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=2 January 2009 |accessdate=2009-01-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130124105518/http://www.gazette.com/articles/budget_45708___article.html/members_process.html |archivedate=24 January 2013 }}
=2010 legislative session =
During the 2010 legislative session, Waller concentrated on criminal-justice related bills. A bill based on Governor Bill Ritter's criminal justice commission addressed reforming possession-related drug offenses, reducing some of the felonies and redirecting money toward treatment and recidivism reduction. Waller also worked to stop House Bill 1205, a military exclusion bill that Waller viewed as unfair in regards to private property rights; he sought to reconcile interests of both military installations and private property owners, particularly in terms of the prevalence of both within his district.
=2010 election =
Waller defeated Democrat Marcus Cimino with 74.7% of the 26,229 votes cast in the 2010 Midterm Election.{{cite web |url=http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/state-house/2010/ |title=Colorado State House 2010 General Election Results - Denver Post |access-date=2020-05-08 |archive-date=2011-08-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814080229/http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/state-house/2010/ |url-status=dead }}
=2011 legislative session =
{{Expand section|date=November 2012}}
=2012 legislative session =
{{Expand section|date=November 2012}}
=2012 election=
In the 2012 General Election, Representative Waller faced Libertarian challenger Larry Reedy. Waller was reelected by a margin of 73% to 15% with other third-party candidates garnering the remainder of the vote.{{cite web|url=http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/43032/111283/en/summary.html# |title=CO - Election Results - Colorado Secretary of State |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314203900/http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/CO/43032/111283/en/summary.html |archivedate=2017-03-14 }}{{cite web |url=http://data.denverpost.com/election/results/state-house/2012/ |title=State House 2012 Election Results - Denver Post}}
=2013 legislative session =
Waller served as House Minority leader during the 2013 legislative session. A bipartisan effort with Democrat Pete Lee passed legislation that moved forward the state's restorative justice programs, albeit with compromises acknowledged on Waller's part.{{cite web|url=https://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/restoration-period/Content?oid=2605786 |title=Restoration period |publisher=Colorado Springs Independent |date=2013-01-02 |accessdate=2020-05-08}}
Post-legislative career
=2014 election=
When John Suthers left the position to run in the 2015 Colorado Springs mayoral election, Waller declared his candidacy for Colorado Attorney General. Following a low performance in the primary on June 24, Waller withdrew from the race and endorsed Cynthia Coffman, who went on to win the November election.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2014/04/28/rep-mark-waller-citing-party-unity-withdraws-attorney-general-race/108551/ |title=Rep. Mark Waller, citing party unity, withdraws from attorney general race |publisher=The Denver Post |date=2014-04-28 |accessdate=2020-05-08}}
=2016 election=
Following a defeat of his primary opponent Tim Geitner, Waller was sworn in as El Paso County Commissioner for District 2, which encompasses the eastern side of Colorado Springs and the eastern edges of El Paso County. Waller took his seat early due to his predecessor, Amy Lathen, exiting her position for another job in June 2016. Waller's four-year term began on January 11, 2017, following his win in the November 2016 General Election.{{cite web|url=https://www.csindy.com/IndyBlog/archives/2016/07/19/waller-is-new-district-2-county-commissioner |title=Waller is new District 2 county commissioner |publisher=Colorado Springs Independent |date=2016-06-19 |accessdate=2020-05-08}}
=2020 election=
Waller declared his candidacy for the position of District Attorney in the 4th Judicial District in June 2019.{{cite web|url=https://gazette.com/news/mark-waller-first-to-announce-bid-for-th-judicial-district/article_729ba1ee-8e33-11e9-afa0-db5ff5a56d75.html |title=Mark Waller first to announce bid for 4th Judicial District DA |publisher=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=2019-06-19 |accessdate=2020-05-08}} He faced Senior Deputy District Attorney Michael Allen in the GOP primary, held June 30, 2020.{{cite web|url=https://gazette.com/news/senior-prosecutor-michael-allen-to-announce-bid-for-4th-judicial-district-da/article_d7ff22c6-9f46-11e9-92ca-93884ce59099.html |title= Senior prosecutor Michael Allen to announce bid for 4th Judicial District DA |publisher=Colorado Springs Gazette |date=2019-07-05 |accessdate=2020-05-08}} Both Waller and Allen secured multiple endorsements early in the contest; Waller's included El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder, while Allen was endorsed by John Suthers{{cite web|url=https://www.coloradopolitics.com/news/el-paso-countys-4th-judicial-district-attorneys-race-about-to-get-more-crowded/article_c30cc912-9f38-11e9-8440-f3101d704368.html |title=El Paso County's 4th Judicial District Attorney's race about to get more crowded |publisher=Colorado Politics |date=2019-07-05 |accessdate=2020-05-08}} Allen won the race on June 30 by around 8,000 votes. Waller's term as county commissioner ended after 2020.{{cite web| url=https://krdo.com/news/2020/06/30/michael-allen-to-become-the-next-4th-judicial-district-attorney/|title= Michael Allen to become the next 4th Judicial District Attorney |publisher=KRDO |date=2020-07-01 |accessdate=2020-07-01}}
References
{{reflist|32em}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130416004520/http://wallerforcolorado.com/ Campaign website]
{{Colorado State Representatives}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Waller, Mark (Colorado Legislator)}}
Category:County commissioners in Colorado
Category:Republican Party members of the Colorado House of Representatives
Category:People from Macomb, Illinois
Category:Politicians from Colorado Springs, Colorado
Category:Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumni
Category:United States Air Force officers
Category:Military personnel from Illinois
Category:Military personnel from Colorado
Category:University of Denver alumni
Category:University of North Dakota alumni
Category:21st-century members of the Colorado General Assembly